EFFECT OF HOLMIUM DOPING ON THE STRUCTURAL AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF MAGNETITE NANOPOWDERS

Abstract

Substantial amendment in structural and optical properties of magnetite nanoparticles could be done by incorporation of foreign cations, particularly facile for trivalent rare earth cations having different ionic radius. Adjoining holmium ions in native lattice was accomplished during solution synthesis approach using Iron (III) Chloride (FeCl3) as starting precursor and Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) as reducing agent without templates at low temperature. The growth and the controlled insertion of holmium ions in iron oxide particles were administered by regulating the pH of the solution using ammonium hydroxide. X-ray
diffraction (XRD) analysis was performed to identify the structural modifications induced by the included dopant Ho3+ ions. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectral studies identified the metal-oxide phase formation and the effect of dopant on modification of vibrational modes. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to survey the changes in the morphology of the pure and doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Impregnated Ho content was measured by energy
dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Variations in the optical properties were identified from the recorded absorption spectral information in the wavelength range 200-2000 nm.